Columbia Water and Light offers a $1,000 rebate to customers for the construction of new homes that achieve certification as Energy Star homes. The Energy Star designation is given to homes that receive an 85 or less on the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) index, meaning that they can be expected to use 15% less energy on average than a standard home (i.e., the average or "standard" home has a HERS rating of 100). The rebate is only available for new homes constructed after May 15, 2008. Participants are required to submit several types of verification documentation prior to receiving a rebate. This information can be found on the program web site listed above.

Rebate applications must be submitted within 6 months of the completion of construction on a home. Both builders of spec homes and owners of custom-built homes are eligible to receive rebates. The program is operated on a first-come, first-served basis subject to available funding each fiscal year.